IRONYIRONY

……Or ironically many of the ironic Or ironically many of the ironic sayings in Alannis Morrisette’s sayings in Alannis Morrisette’s

song “Isn’t It Ironic?” may not be song “Isn’t It Ironic?” may not be ironic… which is ironic.ironic… which is ironic.

DefinitionDefinition

Definition:Definition: A Figure of speech. A A Figure of speech. A contradiction of expectation contradiction of expectation between what is said and what is between what is said and what is meant or an incongruity between meant or an incongruity between what might be expected and what might be expected and what actually occurs. Often what actually occurs. Often connected to a fatalistic or connected to a fatalistic or pessimistic view of life.pessimistic view of life.

Types of Irony – Dramatic IronyTypes of Irony – Dramatic Irony

Definition of Definition of Dramatic IronyDramatic Irony - - A situation in which the A situation in which the audience audience knowsknows something about present or something about present or future circumstances that the future circumstances that the character does not know.character does not know. Sometimes referred to as “tragic Sometimes referred to as “tragic irony”irony”

Types of Irony – Dramatic IronyTypes of Irony – Dramatic Irony

Dramatic example: Oedipus Rex by Dramatic example: Oedipus Rex by Sophocles in which Oedipus searches Sophocles in which Oedipus searches to find the murderer of the former to find the murderer of the former king of Thebes, only to discover that king of Thebes, only to discover that it is himself, which is known to the it is himself, which is known to the audience all along.audience all along.

Types of Irony – Verbal IronyTypes of Irony – Verbal Irony

Definition of Definition of Verbal IronyVerbal Irony-  A -  A contradiction of expectation between contradiction of expectation between what is what is saidsaid and what is and what is meant meant

Types of Irony – Verbal IronyTypes of Irony – Verbal Irony Verbal example: Julius Caesar by William Verbal example: Julius Caesar by William

ShakespeareShakespeare"Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;"Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;And Brutus is an honorable man“And Brutus is an honorable man“

Other examples (similes):Other examples (similes):– ““As soft as concrete”As soft as concrete”– ““As clear as mud”As clear as mud”– ““As pleasant as a root canal”As pleasant as a root canal”

Sometimes verbal irony is linked to Sometimes verbal irony is linked to “sarcasm” and other literary devices such “sarcasm” and other literary devices such as “hyperbole and understatement”as “hyperbole and understatement”

Types of Irony – Situational IronyTypes of Irony – Situational Irony

Definition of Definition of Situational IronySituational Irony - A contradiction of - A contradiction of expectation between expectation between what what mightmight be be expected and what expected and what actuallyactually occurs often occurs often connected to a connected to a fatalistic / pessimistic fatalistic / pessimistic view of life.view of life.

Types of Irony – Situational IronyTypes of Irony – Situational Irony

Situational example: The Rime of the Situational example: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge:Ancient Mariner by Coleridge:Water, water, every where,Water, water, every where,And all the boards did shrink ; And all the boards did shrink ; Water, water, every where, Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drinkNor any drop to drink

It’s all SALT water and is undrinkable.It’s all SALT water and is undrinkable.

Subsets of Irony – Cosmic IronySubsets of Irony – Cosmic Irony One subset of One subset of Situational IronySituational Irony is is Cosmic Cosmic

IronyIrony. It is based on the assumptions that the . It is based on the assumptions that the gods or fates are toying with human beings. gods or fates are toying with human beings.

In art: In art: In In O. HenryO. Henry's story 's story The Gift of the MagiThe Gift of the Magi, a , a

young couple are too poor to buy each other young couple are too poor to buy each other Christmas gifts. The man finally pawns his Christmas gifts. The man finally pawns his heirloom pocket watch to buy his wife a set heirloom pocket watch to buy his wife a set of combs for her long, beautiful, prized hair. of combs for her long, beautiful, prized hair. She, meanwhile, cuts off her treasured hair She, meanwhile, cuts off her treasured hair to sell it to a wig-maker for money to buy to sell it to a wig-maker for money to buy her husband a watch-chain. her husband a watch-chain.

Subsets of Irony – Cosmic IronySubsets of Irony – Cosmic Irony

In history: In history: In 1974 the In 1974 the Consumer Product Safety CommissionConsumer Product Safety Commission had to  had to

recall 80,000 of its own lapel buttons promoting "toy recall 80,000 of its own lapel buttons promoting "toy safety", because the buttons had sharp edges, used safety", because the buttons had sharp edges, used lead paint, and had small clips that could be broken lead paint, and had small clips that could be broken off and subsequently swallowed. off and subsequently swallowed.

Importing Importing Cane ToadsCane Toads to Australia to protect the  to Australia to protect the environment only to create worse environmental environment only to create worse environmental problems for Australia. problems for Australia.

Jim FixxJim Fixx, who did much to popularize , who did much to popularize joggingjogging as a form  as a form of healthy exercise in his 1977 book of healthy exercise in his 1977 book The Complete The Complete Book of Running, Book of Running,  died at the age of 52 of a  died at the age of 52 of a heart heart attackattack (a death associated with sedentary, unhealthy  (a death associated with sedentary, unhealthy lifestyles) while out jogginglifestyles) while out jogging

Subsets of Irony – Historical IronySubsets of Irony – Historical Irony

Historical ironyHistorical irony is, in essence, is, in essence, cosmic cosmic ironyirony with the addition of time. It is also a with the addition of time. It is also a subset of subset of Situational IronySituational Irony..

Example: World War I (sometimes called Example: World War I (sometimes called “The Great War”) was also referred to as “The Great War”) was also referred to as “The War to End All Wars”… which led to “The War to End All Wars”… which led to WWII.WWII.

Example: Alfred Nobel invented TNT Example: Alfred Nobel invented TNT (dynamite) to help save lives in mines and (dynamite) to help save lives in mines and it was later used to take far more lives as it was later used to take far more lives as a military explosive (hence, the invention a military explosive (hence, the invention of “The Nobel Prize” to encourage peace).of “The Nobel Prize” to encourage peace).

Why is this ironic?Why is this ironic?

Why is this ironic?Why is this ironic?

Why is this ironic?Why is this ironic?

Why is this ironic?Why is this ironic?

Why is this ironic?Why is this ironic?

Why is this ironic?Why is this ironic?

Why is this ironic?Why is this ironic?

Why is this ironic?Why is this ironic?

Why is this ironic?Why is this ironic?